Tourism Summit Agenda - Day One

Stuart joined Isles of Scilly Steamship Group as Chief Financial Officer in July 2013 and appointed as Chief Executive Officer in 2019. Originally from Cornwall, Stuart graduated from Cardiff University with a BSc (Hons) degree in Pharmacology & Toxicology and qualifi­ed as a Chartered Accountant in 2007. Stuart previously worked at Smart Solutions Recruitment, one of Wales fastest growing companies.

Stuart is a non-executive director of the Island Partnership, a not-for-profit organisation which exists to develop the Isles of Scilly as a visitor destination. He is also a member of the Isles of Scilly Transport Board. In his spare time, Stuart is a keen cyclist and triathlete competing over multiple distances and enjoys spending time with his family at home in Cornwall.

Patricia became CEO of VisitBritain/VisitEngland in 2022, having been Director of Strategy & Communications since 2005. Patricia is responsible for the day-to-day running of VisitBritain/VisitEngland overseas and its global network of offices. She is focused on building partnerships to grow the value of tourism across Britain and supporting and developing tourism businesses She works to ensure that overseas tourism is high on the political and economic agenda, and oversees the Media and Tourism Affairs teams. Patricia is also the Accounting Officer for the organisation.

Starting her career as a journalist working on research and technical publications, Patricia moved to edit Holiday Which? where she led on all of its research, campaigning and public affairs work in tourism, travel and transport. She launched and edited the Which? Guide to Hotels for many years.

Patricia is the Chair of the Tourism Industry Emergency Response group (TIER) which coordinates the tourism industry, developing plans and responses during specific crises. She is an observer on the board of the Tourism Alliance for VisitBritain/VisitEngland.

Madeleine has had an extensive and varied Civil Service career, firmly rooted in DCMS. For the last year she has led the Visitor Economy team, with highlights being steering the team through the election and change of Government, and representing the UK and the sector internationally at G7 and G20 meetings.

Previously, she headed up the short term lets team and delivered the primary legislation to set up the registration scheme for short term lets in England. Her earlier roles include having oversight of £2 billion p.a. raised annually by the National Lottery, setting up the Racing Foundation, leading a Spending Review team and working on the bid for the London Olympics.

Simon's love affair with travel began with a camping trip to the Lake District, and the six-year-old Simon was hooked. He learned the fine art of free travel by starting to hitch-hike as a teenager. More than three decades later, he is still thumbing his way around the world.

Simon's first job was as a cleaner for British Airways at Gatwick airport. He later worked as a security guard frisking passengers, writing budget travel guidebooks between flights. His first was The Hitch-hiker's Manual of Britain . After becoming travel editor of The Independent Simon also began to present BBC 2's Travel Show and contribute to the Holiday programme. He now hosts the Travel Clinic on LBC 97.3, regularly pops up on Radio 4 and comments on travel issues across all the national media.

Simon has travelled the world, but still lists his favourite bus journey as the number 11 - from Liverpool Street to Camden. With a policy of paying his way wherever he travels in the world, Simon always finds that the most interesting stories tend to come from the cheap seats.

Kate Nicholls OBE has been CEO of UKHospitality, the powerful voice representing the broad hospitality sector, since its inception in 2018. Kate previously worked as CEO and Strategic Affairs Director of the Association of Licenced Multiple Retailers (ALMR).

Kate sits on the Government’s Tourism, Hospitality, and Food & Drink Sector Councils, where she represents the wider hospitality and tourism sector. As a passionate advocate for inclusivity in hospitality, Kate is also the Government’s first Disability Ambassador for hospitality.

Kate is the Chair of the Institute of Licensing, a board member of Best Bar None, and a trustee of Hospitality Action and Springboard. She has previously chaired the Tourism Alliance, London Night-time Commission, and London Tourism Recovery Board.

Kate initially worked as a researcher in the House of Commons and European Parliament on food, employment and environmental policy before joining Whitbread to work in Strategic Affairs. She has extensive experience as a political and strategic communications consultant and is a graduate of Fitzwilliam Colle.

John Hutton was a member of Parliament for 18 years during which time he served as Minister of Health, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Secretary of State for Business, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and Secretary of State for Defence. He has been a Member of the House of Lords since 2010.

Since leaving front line politics, John has served on the Board of Directors of several private and public companies. He is currently a non-Executive Director of Scottish Power and non-Executive Chairman of Pearson Engineering. He has chaired the Nuclear Industries Association and Energy UK. He chairs the Board of Make UK.

Louis was first elected to Cornwall Council in May 2021 for the Newquay Central and Pentire Division and he also sits on Newquay Town Council serving as Mayor of Newquay 2021-22.

Louis now holds the position of Portfolio Holder for Economy (since May 2022), with the following responsibilities:

• Economic development and economic strategy

• Relationships with business community

• Town Vitality and Place Shaping

• Spaceport

• Investment Zone

Louis also sits on the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Economic Prosperity Board and is the Council’s Armed Forces Champion and led the bid to secure National Armed Forces Day held in Falmouth in June 2023.

Patrick is a Founder / Director of TerraVerde; an innovative sustainability consultancy. TerraVerde is dedicated to the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors, working across all its segments. A business friendly approach is taken to supporting clients future proof to a sustainable & low carbon future. Insights from decades of tourism leadership are combined with the know-how of professional advisory. TerraVerde work with Visit Cornwall, in shaping its strategy for the county’s low carbon visitor economy.

Patrick has a 38-year tourism career, spanning leadership & transformational roles at major travel companies GTA; Travelport & Kuoni; plus as CCO at Cox & Kings & its on-line brand Ezeego1. Patrick chaired The European Tourism Association (ETOA) between 2007 and 2014. Non-executive directorships are held in companies promoting on-line skills development, plus the promotion of tourism into the Nordics region. He is also a special advisor for the Boston Consulting Group. Patrick is based in London, United Kingdom.

Jim Plunkett-Cole is a professional freelance economist with 20 years’ experience in analysing and understanding the Cornwall economy, including its tourism industry and supply chains. His work informs economic development decision-making with cutting-edge evidence-based intelligence, helping to secure the very highest levels of sustainable economic growth and competitiveness. He has worked at all levels for public and private sector clients across the UK, including Multi-National Corporations, Cornwall Council and HM Treasury (where he has represented more than 200 local authorities on the Green Book Users Steering Group).

Andy Jasper joined the Eden Project in September 2024 as Chief Executive Officer.

With over 25 years’ experience working in garden visitor attractions, tourism and charity sectors, this is Andy’s second period at the Eden Project, having previously spent 13 years as Eden’s Head of Research and Evaluation where he specialised in understanding and communicating the social and economic impact of the Eden Project in Cornwall and the South West from 2001, when the Eden Project first opened.

After leaving Eden, Andy spent over a decade working on projects around the world that helped to transform the future of those gardens. As Director of the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Hawaii, USA, he created and led a highly successful capital investment programme and reconfiguration of the South Shore gardens of Kauai. As Programme Director of RHS Garden Wisley, he led the planning and execution of an acclaimed multimillion-pound investment programme in the Royal Horticultural Society’s flagship garden. Before returning to the Eden Project, Andy was the National Trust’s Director of Gardens and Parklands where he was responsible for more than 500 years of horticultural heritage across 222 gardens and parklands. He has also sat on an international advisory board delivering horticultural projects spanning the globe from New York State, Berlin and South Africa. He is passionate about the balance and interconnectivity between delivering exceptional visitor experience, growing great horticultural careers and the important role of philanthropy in helping to unlock investment.

Andy is a proud Cornishman, having grown up in the far west of Penwith, and enjoys running, family time, theatre and of course gardening.

Malcolm, previously the CEO and Chair of Visit Cornwall, is the leading the development of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Visitor Economy Partnershop.

His earlier appointments include CEO of South West Tourism, the Regional Tourist Board for the South West of England (1999 to 2009). He has been an expert advisor to the European Commission and a member of the EC’s Tourism Sustainability Group, leading a working group to establish a core set of indicators to measure sustainable tourism.

In November 2024, Jon Hyatt, Managing Director of Hendra Holiday Park, succeeded Malcom in the non-executive role of Chair of Visit Cornwall. With over 20 years of experience in hospitality and tourism, Jon brings extensive industry knowledge and a passion for sustainable tourism. His deep understanding of Cornwall’s unique appeal makes him well-positioned to lead Visit Cornwall into its next phase of growth.

With over a decade of experience in leadership roles spanning tourism, energy, and financial services, Mike brings strategic insight and operational prowess to his role as Managing Director of Visit Cornwall.

Having initially joined Visit Cornwall as Operations Manager, Mike played a pivotal role in the organisation's growth and success over six years, overseeing key operational functions and spearheading initiatives to enhance visitor experiences across the region.

Jon Hyatt – Chair Visit Cornwall CIC, Managing Director at Hendra Holiday Park

Mike Steel – Managing Director, Visit Cornwall

Rob Edlin – Non-Exec Director Visit Cornwall, Analytics Consultant

Linda Winstanley – Non-Exec Director Visit Cornwall, Chair of Bude Area Tourist Board

Mark Worden – Non-Exec Director Visit Cornwall, Director at MiHi Digital

Nicola Cornish – Non-Exec Director Visit Cornwall, Audit and assurance partner at PKF-Francis Clark

Kim Spencer – Non-Exec Director Visit Cornwall, Vice Chair SECTA

Trevor Broome – Non-Exec Director Visit Cornwall, General Manager at Land's End Landmark

Sarah Ferrie – Non-Exec Director Visit Cornwall, Head of Marketing, Budock Vean

Nathan Cudmore - Non Exec Director Visit Cornwall, Sector Development Manager at Cornwall & Ises of Scilly Good Growth Programme.

Malcolm Bell – LVEP development lead, Visit Cornwall CIC